Luminous sign



NV. 15, 1932. Q ANGELl 1,887,973

LUMINOUS SIGN Original Filed April lO, 1951 Ylo Patented Nov. 175,v

GUGLIELMO ANGELI, OF ROME, ITALY Luminous SIGN Application alea April lo, 1931, serial No. 529,234, and in Italy February a, 1931. Renewed Maren 19,1932.

This invention relates to luminous signs and more particularly refers to improvements in methods of and apparatus for producing novel and attractive multi-colored effects in signs where display matter illuminated from the rear is visible through transparency or translucency.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved method of producing multicolored light-ing elfects in luminous signs where the display matter is made visible through illumination from the rear.

Another object is to provide in a luminoussign of the character specified means of a. novel and improved character whereby novel and attractive multicolored lighting effects can be obtained.4

A further object of the invention is to provide a luminous sign of a simple, novel and relatively inexpensive construction whereby multicolored display effects of an unusual and attract-ive character can be produced.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will lnore fully appear as the .description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a device embodying my invention, with the top removed;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the device, minus the front panel, part of the multi-colored transparent curtain being broken away in order to show the motor and the electric bulbs; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of another device embodyino` my invention in another form, with the cover removed.

The invention consists primarily in interposing between a. source of light and a panel, carrying display matter adapted to be made visible through illumination from the rear, of Va curtain composed of a longitudinal series of multi-colored transparent rods arranged side by side.

Said curtain is preferably made to travel along the display panel so that the coloration of the various parts of the display matter is constantly changed so as to attract the attention of passers-by.

ln the form illustrated, the device comprise a casing within whichis mounted a band which is caused to move by means of one or more pulleys and from which are suspend- 'I ed differently colored glass rods one after the other. The band is caused to travel in a horizontal plane so that the glass rods, which are `attachedto the band by means of wire bind-v ings, remain in a perpendicular position with respect to said band, said rods being preferably connected at their lower end by means` of a small band of metal or thelike and of suitable bindings. Inside the space around which the multi-colored transparent curtain thus produced is traveling are arranged suitable luminous sources, and one or more walls of the casing carry transparentv or translucent display matter which thus becomes il. 70' luminated by the luminous `sources through p the intermediary of the colored rods, prodllcing very attractive effects of colored light.

The display matter is preferably produced.

by cutting the necessary letters or signs through one or more walls of the casings and by filling the openings Vthus yproduced by means of glass letters or signs, preferably made of glass having a round section'.

' The device shown in Figs. l and 2 com-80 prises a casing l into whose longer wallsQ, 3 are cut letters or signs, the holes being filled up with transparent glass rods 4. The cover 5 ofthe casing carries by means of angle irons 6 and supporting member 7, 7 two pulleys 8, 85 8', of which one is a guidepulley, while the 1 second pulley has its shaft 9 connected by means of an endless screw reduction gear 10 Y with the motor l1 which drives the said pulley. The lower rim of the'pulleys projects in 90- f 12, l2 so as to sustain a steel band'13 Which passes round the pulleys and is caused to rotate therewith. This steel band has suspended from it by means of metal bindings 14 differently colored glass rods l5 which are thus 95 hanging vertically from the steel-band in parv allel with the walls 2 and 3 of the casing, behind which they move when the band 1,3 is travelling. The glass rods are held together at their lower ends by a second metal band '16 100` and a wire binding 17. Along the bottom of the casing are arranged electric bulbs 18 in a number sulficient to assure a good and uniform illumination.

rIhe constructional form shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that of Figs. l and Q, with the only dilference that the rods 15 are` carried by a metal band 13 which surrounds one single pulley 8 of a size suflicient to carry the glass rods 15 past the letter or signs 4t in the ca sing, the pulley being driven by a motor or other suitable device, for example by the aid of rising hot air or by means of a propeller.

The series of the colored rods may alsobe interrupted at suitable distances, for example between the rods of one color and' those of another color.

rlhe rods may-be of circular, oval, square,

L hexagonal or othersection and each of them may be of the same color or be subdivided intoparts of different colors.

The differently colored glass rods, when passing along` the transparent bodies ofl the Itis obvious that although glass rods are to be. preferred because of the vividness of the. eifects produced thereby, it is within the :scope of my invention to use transparent :colored units made of material other than glass. It is alsov obvious that the inventionv scribed The drawing will, therefore, be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense.

I' accordingly reserve the right to apply my invention inall those ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A device of the class described compris-k inga source of light, a horizontally directed opaque panel having cut out display matter, 45'A glass rodsl inserted inthe resulting display openings, a curtain Vcomprising a band and a plurality of multicolored transparent solid Y glass rods suspended from, said band, interposed between said source of light and said "panel, and means for causing continuous travel of said band.

2. A device for luminous signs` comprising a casing, letters or signs out into the walls of the casing to form openings therein, glass rods toiill up the said openings in the Walls, a series of transparent and dierently colored glass. rods moving along the walls, a metallic band from which said last mentioned glass rods are suspended at their upper ends, pulleysto guide said band, means to impart arotary motion to the pulleys and thus cause the colored glass rodsto travel along the walls, past the letters or signs, andsources. of light arranged insidethe casing-so as co-illuminate the letters or signs through the colored glass rods.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a source of light, an opaque panel having cut-out display matter placed infront there- GUGLIELMO ANGELI. 

